The UK, Welsh and Scottish governments' consultation on reform of the UK's Packaging Producer Responsibility System has closed. The REA's response includes recommendations applicable to compostable packaging.

Information for members covering digestate storage and spreading. This includes a briefing note on the Farming Rules for Water that cover spreading of organic manures and the Code of Good Agricultural Practice for reducing ammonia emissions.

This Food Waste Recycling Action Plan Annual Report. marks FWRAPâs second year. Progress continues to be made towards increasing food waste collections and recycling through the efforts of the steering group. Its members have continued to work together to consolidate successes from last year.

Privacy Policy: The Organics Recycling website is in full compliance with the Renewable Energy AssociationÂs Privacy Policy which can be found here.

Member Affinity Schemes

In an ongoing effort to bring additional value to our members and enable their success, we have a range of specially negotiated discounts on business products and services with a selected range of partnerships.

The ORG sector group within the REA has a wealth of Health and Safety information which we have specifically obtained from an array of external sources. Key issues are covered in detail with other helpful documents accessible e.g. Matrix of H&S requirements for on farm/small operators. The information is kept up to date as a requirement of ORG being part of the UK's WISH forum (Waste Industry Safety and Health forum).

Health & Safety enquires and any requests for further H&S initiatives should be directed to Gordon Thompson at the REA (gordon@r-e-a.net tel 07584 253 733).

This article from Safety & Health Practitioner (November 2015) addresses the problem of rough sleepers sheltering in waste containers 11 people have been killed over the past year when containers they were sheltering in were tipped into waste collection vehicles.

The ORG held its sixth H&S conference and exhibition at the Chesford Grange hotel in Kenilworth. Over 100 delegates attended the event and listened to a broad range of speakers covering topical subjects for the organics recycling sector.

We are continuous urging staff at compost sites to wear appropriate respiratory protection to prevent the inhalation of bio-aerosols. Face masks can only provide optimum protection if they are properly fitted. This report from the HSE outlines the adverse effects of beard stubble on the fitting and sealing of face masks.

Safety signs and signals are required where, despite putting in place all other relevant measures, a significant risk to the health and safety of employees and others remains. This guidance published by the HSE is for employers, duty holders and others who have responsibility for the control of workplaces, sites and premises. It is also for those operating equipment that requires verbal and/or non-verbal communications.

One of the root causes of containment failure incidents occurred within the AD sector over the past years is the lack or poor standard of secondary containment. Several members of the REA as well as the EA have raised concerns that there is currently little clarity or transparency on what is required in terms of containment and bunding at AD sites.

The AD sector has concerns that for this rapidly expanding sector that there is a shortage of technical and operational competence. A group of stakeholders have recently started to work on identifying the core minimum training required to operate an AD (of any size) and develop a draft syllabus.

The REA has recently been notified by the Environment Agency that they are assessing AD permit applications with greater rigour and scrutiny than has been the case in the past in light of the number of containment failures that have occurred at AD facilities.